A Robin
by Bwilla
Summary: Dick is given horrible news by Bruce- his brother, Jason Todd, is dead.


"Dick, come here," Bruce called across the room, having just entered Mount Justice. All of the Team was there and it left everyone but Dick and Wally look around for whoever was being called. Nobody questioned him being there because Bruce funded the JLA and he had access. Robin sat up and hurried to his mentor, knowing that Bruce would never give up his identity without it being important.

"It's about Jason," he told Dick, eyes red from tears, though they were dry now.

"What did he do now? I really need to have a talk with him about his recklessness," Robin shook his head at his brother, ignoring the fact that his teammates could hear what they were saying.

"He found his mother, but she was being blackmailed by the Joker. He went after him by himself. It's bad news I'm afraid." Bruce couldn't bring himself to say it, not about his Jay.

Robin felt a shiver down his spine, "How bad is he? Will he be alright?" he blurted.

"Jason's dead Dick. He's gone." Tears welled over his eyes, the words stabbing him on the way out.

"No, you're lying, my brother is fine," he glared. It was a horrible joke in bad taste. He pulled out his phone, dialing his little brother, ignoring his father as each ring killed him.

"Hey this is Jason," and Dick's heart leapt before it continued, "I'm not here right now, leave your name and number and I _might_ call you back," the tone went off and it took Dick a while to speak.

"Jaybird? Jay pick up- it's Dickiebird, baby bro pick up. Tell me Dad's lying. He says you're dead." His voice broke and his unseen eyes began to fill. "Jay, pick up please? Jaybird? Oh God, please pick up." A machine told him that his message was over but he kept going, "Jay? Come on it's Dickie. Jason?" The phone fell through numb fingers, hitting the carpeted ground with a thud.

"Daddy? Jaybird's… he's…" he stopped himself and fled the room before he could break down, not even saying good bye to his friends.

Robin didn't come in for days, neither did Batman. No one blamed them once they found out why they hadn't come. When they did return Robin was not his normally happy self and even Batman was more stoic than normal.

Robin surrounded himself with the team, they had known about the other Robin- Dick had complained for a week about being replaced, if only halfheartedly. Most of the members didn't know what to say to the grieving boy.

Kaldur placed a comforting hand on Robin's shoulder, "Could you tell us about him- your brother?" He thought that talking would help his friend, even if it hurt him.

"Jason's an idiot." His words -though mean- were quiet, "He should have waited for us, for Dad and I," he hands shook and he slammed them on the table in a sudden fury. "What was he thinking!? We don't fight super villains alone, especially since he just became Robin! He wasn't ready!" He spat out the words wiping at is tears angrily, peeling off the mask and tossing it at the wall.

"And Dad! Why didn't he stop him! Why couldn't he see what was going on; he's Batman!" He punched the wall, fist breaking through with minimal effort. Artemis rested her hand on his shoulder. She understood the loss of family- even though none of her folks had died. He brushed it off, not wanting contact. His anger vanished as fast as it had come; he hadn't meant to yell at them.

"Sorry," he began, only to be pulled into a hug by the green-skinned M'gann. He froze at first but the embracing arms warmed him. Wally soon joined the hug and motioned for the others to do so. Even the socially awkward Conner Kent joined the embrace in order to cheer up their comrade.

Robin spent the night with his friends, ending up curled around Kid Flash, Conner on his other side. It was the first time he had slept well since the death of Jason. The boy had been brash and cocky, sometimes even mean, but he was also insecure and sweet. His adopted family meant everything to him. Dick could remember the first time he met Jason, the idiot boy who tried to steal the wheels of the Batmobile.

Dick flopped onto the couch after returning from a mission, wincing as a sore spot that was turning into a bruise was hit by the arm of his seat. Jason had walked in as though he had always been there, munching on a banana. Dick was in civilian clothes so he was less hostile than he could have been when he asked, "Who the heck are you?"

"Jason," he replied, taking a seat on the other side of the couch and flicking on the TV.

"Alright, 'Jason.' What are you doing in my house?" he bit out; frustrated by both his rudeness and the fact he had invaded his house.

"I brought him here," Bruce interjected, leaning against the door frame. "He's going to be living with us from now on. It'll give you more time with the team if I have a Robin to work with here." He stood behind the couch and placed his large warm hands on their heads, "You're going to be brothers, and that means you get along- got it?"

It might not have been the best first meeting.

Jay's first night as Robin was hard on them both. Jason came through the house in a devilishly bad mood, slamming the door to the room he shared with Dick. Dick was lying on his belly while he read a book for homework. He looked up and is jaw dropped at the sight of the brightly clad boy.

"You're Robin!" he gasped, feeling a bit betrayed. Bruce had said the other boy would be his new sidekick but he thought he would be told before they went out.

"No shit," Jay grumbled, taking off the cape. Dick glared at the boy in his colors and when Jason noticed he snapped, "Don't worry Bird-Brain, you can have it back."

"What? Why?" Dick asked, sitting up and leaving his book behind.

"It's this stupid cape," he tossed it onto his bed and sat next to it. "Bruce told me to surprise the crooks so I jumped down and the blasted thing got caught around my face! I wasn't intimidating at all!" he bemoaned his bad fortune.

"The cape takes some getting used to," Dick agreed and the next day he took Jason out to practice with the full costume in a storm. After that they trained together a lot, and even started hanging out outside their work. They went to the movies or to the skate park Jason loved and even did schoolwork together.

Dick grinned at his family when he spotted them between the curtains of the school theater; it was his first play since Jay ad arrived. Bruce, Jay, and even Alfred were there sitting in the front row. The commissioner and his daughter Barbara were a couple rows behind them but Dick didn't focus on the pretty red-head or he knew he wouldn't be able to speak when he came on stage.

But now, Jason is gone

The house was too quiet, both of his boys weren't there and Alfred was asleep in his own room. He trekked down in to the living room, feeling twitchy. He would take out the excess energy on criminals most nights but he had promised Alfred he wouldn't go out that night. Bruce opened up the clock and climbed the stairs down to the batcave, glad that his heavily stuffed punching bags would soon be receiving pain.

By the time the bag was showing the beating in a misshapen way Bruce's anger had dissipated, leaving him empty again. He sat down in one of the bat decorated chairs and buried his head in his hands.

"Master Bruce?" Alfred asked placing his hand on the square of his back. He jumped slightly, having missed the elderly butler enter the room.

"Alfred," he greeted, "Is it morning already?" his voice was muffled through his hands.

"Not yet sir," he sat in a matching chair and placed it next to Batman's. Bruce lifted his head and stared blankly at the wall as if its cracks and craggy surface was the most interesting thing. The silence reignited for a long while before Alfred got up and busied himself making tea. He placed a steaming cup before the younger man and waited for him to speak.

"Did he hate me?" he asked.

"No, Master Jason adored you sir," Alfred said promptly and sipped at his own tea, knowing he spoke the truth. Jason had loved very deeply, but hid it because he feared being alone again.

"Why didn't he wait then, did he think I wouldn't help?" his voice wasn't angry but sad, it was the same tone he use when long ago he asked Alfred why is parents had to die.

"I think he feared you dying sir, the same reason you keep me out of the field, Master Bruce." The two men were quiet again.

"Al, I want a memorial in here. He has a grave but I want another for those who knew this side of him- the soldier."

In memory of a great man,

A brother and a son,

A Robin.

Jason Todd


End file.
